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Trump is Restoring American Energy Dominance Once Again
Repairing What Biden Broke
terryobriengreatamerican.substack.com
Trump is Restoring American Energy Dominance Once Again
Repairing What Biden Broke
Written by: Me
During President Trump’s first term America became a net energy exporter for the first time in decades. It was an amazing accomplishment that seems to have been largely forgotten, as has the fact that Joe Biden destroyed that great accomplishments as soon as he went into the Oval Office and started implementing terrible green policies. The Biden administration’s energy policies significantly impacted domestic oil and gas production through a series of regulatory actions aimed at addressing climate change and transitioning to renewable energy sources. These measures created barriers for the fossil fuel industry, leading to stifled production. In contrast, the second Trump administration, beginning in 2025, has prioritized deregulation and streamlined permitting to boost oil, gas, and other energy production, aiming to restore and expand America’s position as a global energy leader. Below, I outline the case for how Biden’s policies constrained energy production and how Trump’s approach seeks to unleash it, drawing on available information to provide a clear and balanced perspective.
Biden Administration’s Impact on Oil and Energy Production
1. Moratorium on Federal Leasing and Permitting Delays:
- Early in 2021, the Biden administration issued a temporary moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters, citing the need to review environmental impacts. Although a federal judge blocked this moratorium, it created uncertainty for producers, discouraging investment in new projects.
- Difficulty in obtaining permits for drilling on federal lands increased significantly. This bureaucratic backlog delayed projects and reduced the pace of new development.
- The administration leased only 232,000 acres for oil and gas development, generating $180 million in federal funding, compared to 3.7 million acres and $1.7 billion under Trump over a similar period, signaling a sharp reduction in available land for exploration.
2. Increased Regulatory Burdens:
- The Biden administration introduced regulations targeting methane emissions and volatile organic compounds, such as the Bureau of Land Management’s “Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation” rule. These increased compliance costs for producers.
- Proposed rules like the “Fluid Mineral Leases and Leasing Process” raised royalty and bonding rates for oil and gas producers on federal lands, further increasing operational costs.
- The administration’s supplemental environmental impact statements for resource management plans in Western states restricted millions of acres from development, limiting access to potential oil and gas reserves.
- The focus on climate-driven regulations, such as stricter vehicle emissions standards and penalties for methane leaks, was criticized by industry leaders as ideologically motivated, prioritizing environmental goals over economic considerations.
3. Pause on LNG Export Permits:
- In January 2024, Biden paused approvals for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities to assess their environmental impact, a move seen as slowing the growth of U.S. LNG exports, which had surged to make the U.S. the world’s top exporter in 2023. This pause was a barrier to meeting global demand, particularly from allies in Europe seeking alternatives to Russian gas after the 2022 Ukraine invasion.
4. Impact on Production and Prices:
- Despite record U.S. oil production of 13.4 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2023, driven by leases issued during the Trump administration, Biden’s policies actually slowed the growth rate. Estimates suggest the U.S. produced 2 billion fewer barrels of oil than projected under Trump’s policies, contributing to higher energy prices.
- Gasoline prices rose 30% under Biden, averaging $3.60 per gallon compared to $2.57 during Trump’s first term, due to reduced domestic supply and bad policies from Biden which frightened the markets.
- The administration’s reluctance to enforce oil sanctions on Iran and Venezuela allowed those countries to increase exports, potentially offsetting U.S. production gains and weakening energy security.
5. Dependence on Foreign Minerals:
- Biden’s push for renewable energy increased demand for critical minerals (e.g., lithium, cobalt) for electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries, but restrictions on domestic mining left the U.S. reliant on China for these resources. This dependency was seen as a strategic vulnerability, especially after China imposed export bans on minerals like germanium and gallium.
These actions, while aligned with Biden’s climate goals—such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43–48% from 2005 levels by 2035 through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)—were criticized for hampering domestic energy production, raising costs for consumers, and increasing reliance on foreign energy and minerals.
Trump Administration’s Push for Energy Dominance
1. Executive Orders to Deregulate and Boost Production:- On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed executive orders to “unleash American energy dominance,” declaring a national energy emergency to expedite permitting for oil, gas, and other energy projects. These orders mandated a review of all regulations burdening domestic energy development, with a focus on oil, gas, coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical minerals, and nuclear energy.
- Trump revoked Biden’s pause on LNG export permits, enabling faster approvals and reinforcing the U.S. as a global LNG leader. In 2025, the Energy Information Administration forecasted LNG exports to reach 15.2 billion cubic feet per day, up from 11.9 in 2024.
- Restrictions on drilling in Alaska, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, were lifted, opening vast areas for exploration.
- The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations were targeted for revision to streamline permitting, with the Council on Environmental Quality tasked to issue new guidance within 30 days of January 20, 2025.
2. Establishment of the National Energy Dominance Council:
- On February 14, 2025, Trump established the National Energy Dominance Council, chaired by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and vice-chaired by Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The council aims to cut red tape, enhance private sector investment, and coordinate energy policy across federal agencies to boost production, generation, and distribution. Burgum emphasized treating energy companies as “customers,” prioritizing their contributions to the national economy. This approach contrasts with Biden’s regulatory stance, aiming to restore industry confidence through stable, predictable permitting processes.
3. Focus on Fossil Fuels and Economic Growth:
- Trump’s policies prioritize fossil fuels to meet rising energy demand, particularly for artificial intelligence data centers and manufacturing. The administration argues that renewables like wind and solar cannot meet these demands reliably in the near term.
- By July 2025, U.S. oil production reached 12.9 million bpd, with projections of 13.5 million bpd in 2025. Trump’s deregulation is expected to encourage drilling on federal lands, which saw a 300% increase in permit applications during his first term. The administration also aims to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, depleted by 180 million barrels under Biden, to enhance energy security and stabilize prices.
4. Critical Minerals and Energy Independence**:
- To address reliance on China for critical minerals, Trump’s orders direct the Interior and Agriculture Secretaries to reassess public land withdrawals and accelerate geologic mapping to locate domestic deposits, including uranium.
- This focus aims to secure supply chains for technologies like AI, reducing vulnerabilities exposed under Biden’s policies.
5. Market and Geopolitical Impacts:
- Trump’s first term saw the U.S. become a net energy exporter for the first time in nearly 70 years, with LNG exports increasing fivefold and delivered to 38 countries. His second term builds on this, with policies designed to lower energy prices and strengthen alliances by exporting energy to Europe and beyond.
CONCLUSION
The Biden administration’s energy policies, driven by climate priorities, imposed significant regulatory hurdles—such as leasing moratoriums, stricter emissions rules, and LNG export pauses—that slowed the growth of domestic oil and gas production, raised compliance costs, and increased reliance on foreign minerals and energy. These measures contributed to higher energy prices and perceived energy insecurity.[/HEADING]
Trump’s second-term agenda counters this with aggressive deregulation, streamlined permitting, and the National Energy Dominance Council, aiming to boost fossil fuel production, secure critical minerals, and restore U.S. energy leadership. Trump’s policies have driven production increases historically and are praised by industry. The contrast highlights a fundamental policy divide: Biden’s failed focus on climate-driven regulation driven by junk climate science, versus Trump’s emphasis on economic growth and energy independence for America through fossil fuel expansion and other sources as well.
Sources: LINK